A New Life in Braavos
by SnapeLikesMyPatronus
Summary: Arya has been living in Braavos for many years, training, becoming one of the Faceless Men. Everything changes when someone from her past returns. (Rating changed to M. There WILL be sexual scenarios in future chapters! EDIT: CHAPTER 4 HAS SEXUAL CONTENT. *SOME SPOILERS FROM BOOK 5*)
1. A Day Like Any Other

The sun shone brightly on the paved stone path. The weather in Braavos was much different than in Westeros. Dry and hot some days, wet and cold on other days. It stayed fairly warm most of the time, though, only cooling in the evening.

Arya walked quickly across the hot path with her dirty bare feet. She had been working extra today. Her fingers ached from the use of her dagger. Ten men today. That was more than she had killed last month.

The door of the small house creaked as she opened it and walked inside. The room was warm, not as hot as the outdoor air, and Arya liked it. She had recently gotten enough coin to buy her own home. It wasn't much. It was made up of two rooms, separated only by a thin hanging fabric. There was a small outhouse just around the back of the house as well.

A sound of cooking pots clanking together made Arya jump, but when she looked up she just saw her cat.

"Niah, down," Arya walked forward, nudging the cat off of the small counter where she cooked her meals. Nothing was clean, she noticed. Heaving a sigh, she looked down at her cat, who was now sitting on the floor, staring back at her. "If only you could learn to clean."

The next few hours were spent cleaning. First the cooking area, then the small table, which was littered with parchment and crumbs from stale bread. When Arya had finished cleaning, she pushed the fabric back that closed off her bedroom from the front of the house. She sat down on her bed and then looked over at the window. The sun was starting to set outside.

"Another year," she muttered to herself. Tomorrow was her nineteenth nameday. She had not seen any of her family since she was a young girl. It had been so many years. She had gone through being blind, to seeing again, only to move from place to place.

On the eleventh year of her life she had come across the narrow sea to Braavos. She stayed in various places until she found her way to the House of Black and White. She became one of the Faceless Men, and as part of her training, a priest had struck her blind. Her sight returned quite a while later as her training progressed. She even got a side job working in a tavern as a method of getting coin. Things had gotten much better in her life since she arrived.

_Meow!_ Arya looked on the bed beside her. The grey striped cat purred gently, nuzzling at her arm, then meowed again. "Hungry?" the cat's ears flipped forward at the way Arya had said the word, which made her laugh. Arya stood and opened her window, then picked up Niah and sat her outside on the ground. "Hunt, Niah." The cat eyed her, then stalked off behind the house.

Arya felt unclean. Mud was dried to her feet, dirt on her arms and face. She heaved a sigh, standing up and walking into the other room. She grabbed a metal pitcher from the cabinets and made her way outside.

The air was cooler now as the sun hung low in the west. The stone path wasn't hot anymore, so she walked slowly along, taking in the lovely sights of Braavos. She made her way to a secluded area where a three-foot deep stream ran quietly across the land. She stripped out of her white shirt, then out of her worn brown leather trousers. When she got down to her smallclothes, she looked around to make sure no one was around, then stripped out of those. Submerging herself into the warm stream she pulled a small tie from her hair, letting it fall loose against her back. Her hair had grown well passed her shoulders now, which she liked.

The water stayed warm for a long time, letting Arya clean herself and leaving her time to relax in the warmth until it got too cool for her liking. By now the sun was almost gone on the horizon and the stars were coming into view. Arya climbed out of the water and dried off with her shirt, then put her clothes back on. She grabbed the metal pitcher and walked back towards her house, stopping at a well to fetch some water. As she filled the pitcher, she heard quiet footsteps behind her. If she hadn't been trained well, she wouldn't have even heard the sound. She sat the pitcher on the edge of the well and put her hand on her dagger, ready to attack this quiet on-comer.

"A girl hears well," the voice made Arya's stomach tighten. She hadn't seen him since she was a young girl. His voice sounded the same. "A girl will not hurt a man."

"A man will not sneak up on a girl," Arya mocked his way of speaking, a smile playing on her lips. She wanted to turn around, to look at his face, but she didn't yet. "A man could get hurt for doing so."

Jaqen H'ghar let out a low, vibrating laugh. "A girl mocks a man."

_Now seems well enough_, Arya thought, then turned around to face him. He had the same face that she remembered. His hair was the same white and red, no different. "You haven't changed at all," Arya said, sounding surprised.

"Ah, but a girl has changed," Jaqen nodded towards her, a smile tugging at his lips. "A girl is no longer a girl. A girl has grown."

Arya looked at down at herself, remembering that her shirt was quite wet, then crossed her arms in front of her chest. She raised her eyebrows at Jaqen, then narrowed her eyes. "Where have you been all these years?"

"A man has been many a place," Jaqen said, taking a moment to quickly scan her body with his eyes.

Arya felt slightly uncomfortable, but she couldn't let him know that. Nothing bothered her, ever, but seeing the way Jaqen looked at her at that moment made her turn pink with embarrassment. She ignored the feeling and grabbed the pitcher of water, walking back towards her small house, Jaqen following not too far behind.

"A man has heard many things about a girl," Jaqen said quietly, looking at the ground as he walked. "A girl has found a home, a way of making coin, a few friends. Yet, a man has heard nothing of how a girl is faring by herself."

Arya smiled, wondering why Jaqen insisted on calling her "girl" when he could perfectly see that she was now a woman. She reached her house and opened the door, walking in. Jaqen walked in as well, followed by Niah who had been sitting by the door, waiting to be let in.

"I'm doing well on my own," Arya sat the pitcher on the counter, then turned to light the lantern that hung on the wall. The dim light filled the room, letting her eyes adjust. Niah was sitting on the table, cleaning her paws.

"A man can tell," Jaqen said, looking around the small room, then at Arya. The way his eyes stared at her made her feel like a little girl again. Her protector was back, but she protected herself now.

Everything was quiet for a long time, only broken by the sound of children laughing in the house next to hers. Jaqen sat in a chair and Arya pulled up a second chair across from him. They looked at each other for a long time. Jaqen could be silent for hours, Arya knew, so she decided to break the chilling silence.

"I've missed you, Jaqen H'ghar," her words were quieter than she had expected, but she knew he heard her. She could see the hint of a smile on his face.

"A girl misses a man she has not seen in years," Jaqen quipped, now petting Niah, who had perched herself on his leg. "A man has missed a girl as well. A man has seen a girl when she could not see, has watched over her even when she fared well enough on her own. That was many years past. A man has now seen a girl as a woman."

Arya could see his smile growing as he said those last few words, which made her cheeks turn a darker shade of pink. She couldn't help but smile herself now. She hadn't smiled in a long while.

Her shirt had pretty much dried now, and she was getting quite tired, so she stood and looked down at Jaqen, who was still sitting. "A girl is tired," she said, smiling at him. "A man will return tomorrow?"

Jaqen grinned now, letting out a laugh. "A man will return," he said, standing up from his seat. Arya realized that he stood nearly half a foot taller than her, so now she was looking up at him. He quickly looked over her face, then brought his hand up to her jaw, placing a light kiss on her cheek. "A man hopes a woman will sleep well."

Arya looked down at her hands as he stepped outside into the cool air and walked away. She closed the door and then leaned her back against it, grinning like a child who had a bag of sweets. _Jaqen H'ghar gave me a small kiss and called me a woman!_

Arya locked her door, then went to her bedroom. She smiled the whole time she changed into some lighter clothing and climbed into bed. She drifted off into a dream-filled sleep, the smile still vaguely visible on her lips.


	2. A Girl Dances

There was a celebration going on. People walked about, speaking fast and laughing. Arya had learned the Braavosi language over time, but it was still hard for her to understand what everyone was saying. The people's clothing were made with many different colors, all bright. She spotted a few people with darker clothing. These were the rich people of Braavos. They never wore the bright colors. Arya pushed past a crowd of young girls who were giggling and pointing at a tall man across the stone square.

The sun was high in the sky again, raining warmth upon her skin as she made her way out of the crowd. She hadn't received any word today on who she would be assassinating, so she decided to get to the tavern and earn more coin.

The fact that there was a celebration meant more customers and more coin. The tavern was cooler inside when she walked in. She wiped a line of sweat from her face and walked ahead of a group of men waiting to get a drink. She stepped behind the counter and grabbed a metal pitcher then filled it with the cold ale from a barrel and filled five tankards.

"Took long enough," one of the men grunted, handing out each tankard to his friends. He spoke her language, but with a hint of the Braavosi accent.

Arya looked around the room, realizing that her other coworkers were nowhere to be found. Most likely they were outside enjoying the celebrations. The man sat a small pouch of coins on the counter, then stalked off to a table in the corner of the room with the others. She grabbed the pouch and put it in her pocket. The door opened and two women walked in, followed by two men. The women were laughing quite happily when Arya walked up to them.

"If you're going to leave the tavern please lock it up, Lonna," Arya sounded annoyed.

The fair skinned woman, Lonna, nodded. "I just went to find my love." She smiled and snaked her hand around the taller man's back.

"Make sure this doesn't happen again," Arya eyed Lonna, then went back behind the counter. The five men had finished their drinks and were getting up to leave, so she went to grab the tankards. Ale had been sloshed all over the table, the tankards knocked over, the gold colored liquid dripping from the rim. Arya heaved a sigh, cleaning off the table, when she heard the sound of a man clearing his throat. She turned around quickly, only to see Jaqen smiling at her.

"A girl serves as a tavern wench when she is not killing," he said, the smile still on his lips.

"I am not a tavern wench," Arya growled, turning and picking up the tankards. She walked to the counter and sat them down, getting a cloth to clean them. Jaqen had followed her and he was now leaning forward, resting his arms on the counter and watching her.

"Ok, a girl is not a tavern wench," he quipped, looking around the room. "Can a man get a drink?"

Arya looked up from cleaning the tankards and stared at Jaqen for a moment. "Sure," she finally said, grabbing a glass instead of a metal tankard. She poured the golden ale into the glass and added a clear liquid to it, then handed it to him. "It's my specialty drink."

His eyes scanned the drink as he picked it up, then he looked at Arya and took swig of it. He let the taste fill his mouth before he swallowed it. A smirk then made its way to his lips. "A girl makes a strong drink."

This made Arya grin. Everyone loved the way she made her special drink. Jaqen placed five coins on the counter, pushing them toward her, but she shoved them back at him. "I don't want your coin." This made Jaqen frown slightly in confusion.

"A man always pays for his drink," Jaqen explained, pushing the coins back towards her. Arya shoved them back at him.

"It's a gift," she argued, raising her eyebrows at him. "You don't need to pay for a gift that I give."

To her satisfaction, he nodded, putting the coins back into his pocket. He finished his drink and then handed her the glass. She cleaned it and put it away, then finished cleaning the tankards. She would look up from her work occasionally to see him staring at her. She felt her face go warm, but dismissed it as she put the clean tankards away. She turned away from him, pretending to look for something, but really she was hiding a smile. Taking a moment, she drew in a deep breath, then turned back around to face him.

"Do you want anything else?" Arya asked, covering the clear liquid with a lid.

"A man wants a girl to come with him to the celebration," Jaqen began, moving his hand towards hers. "A girl will have fun."

When he took her hand in his, Arya's stomach clenched, making her breath hitch in her throat. She nodded quickly, stepping from around the counter, still holding onto his hand. Jaqen smiled and walked with her to the door.

"Lonna," Arya snapped at the woman who was now kissing her man's face. "Take over. I'm done for the day."

As they walked out into the crowd of people Jaqen held her hand tighter, as though if he let go he would lose her in the masses. Arya liked the way his hand felt in hers. She had never been close to a man, let alone hold a man's hand this way.

The crowd of people started dancing and Arya could hear the Braavosi music playing loudly across the square. Jaqen stopped and looked at her, a half-smile on his face. "Does a girl like to dance?"

Arya chewed her bottom lip. He was asking to dance with her. She nodded quickly, smiling. "I love to dance."

Jaqen's smile grew bigger as she said this, then he pulled her into the crowd with him. She never remembered Jaqen being so open. They danced to the fast-paced music for what felt like forever, only stopping to grab a few drinks from a man selling wine out of his cart. Arya felt her head spin slightly as they danced again. She was sure she had a bit too much wine, but she didn't care.

By the time the music ended the sun was getting lower in the sky. Arya was grinning and holding onto Jaqen's arm for support as they walked out of the square and towards Arya's small home. She was quite sure that Jaqen was drunk, seeing as he had the drink she made for him, plus the many glasses of wine.

The door creaked as they walked into her house. Niah was at their feet in a quick moment, meowing and purring. Arya reached down to pet her, but she felt dizzy, so she stood back up and leaned against Jaqen's side. He walked her to her bedroom and helped her sit. He stood there for a moment, looking at her, then turned away from her.

"A man must go now," he made to go to the other room to leave, but Arya grabbed him by the shirt. She now realized how he was dressed. He wore a fine cream colored shirt and pants of black leather. The shirt was soft in her fingers.

"Don't leave," Arya looked up at him from where she was sitting. She looked into his eyes, eyes she remembered from long ago, eyes of the man who had protected her. To her he was a very handsome man and in that moment she wanted to make him her own. She stood up slowly, trying not to fall over from her drunkenness, and put her hands on either side of his face. His stubble of beard was rough on her hands. She looked into his blue eyes with her gray ones. She stepped closer to him, pulled him closer, then kissed him softly on the lips. She felt him kiss her back ever-so-slightly, then pull away, helping her to sit back down.

"A girl has had much wine," Jaqen sounded as if he didn't want to say it. He backed away from her slowly, but kept staring at her. "A girl shows what she wants, but a man will not act on this when he knows she has had much to drink." He then left the room and Arya heard the door creak as he left the house. The room was dark, the sun had set, but Arya was not tired. She was angry that Jaqen had left.

Arya got up from her bed, steadying herself, then walked to the door. She let Niah out, then stepped out into the cool night air. The celebration had ended, but people were still out in the square, talking and laughing. Lanterns had been lit throughout the streets, so it was easy for Arya to see where she was going. She hadn't wanted Jaqen to leave. She had wanted to kiss him, to make him hers. She kicked a loose stone in frustration.

Niah had followed her along the stone path, occasionally pouncing after a mouse. The sound of people was eventually gone as Arya walked towards the stream where she had bathed the day before. Niah inspected the water, dipped her paw in, then jumped back. Arya couldn't help but laugh. She sat on a big rock next to the stream, letting her feet rest in the cool water. Niah jumped up onto her lap and looked right at Arya.

"You don't understand what it's like," Arya ran her hand through the cat's silky fur. "You can find any male cat and make him your own if you wanted to."

"A male would actually find the female," the voice made Arya jump. She reached for her dagger and stood up, turning around. A young man was standing not too far from her. She recognized him at once. It was the man from the celebration that the young girls were giggling and pointing at. She now realized why. His face was thin, his hair as black as the night, his eyes a bright green. To other girls he would be seen as very good looking.

"What do you want?" Arya held her dagger in her hand.

"I heard you talking, but I didn't see anyone else," the man smiled, putting his hands where she could see them. "I have no weapons."

Arya slowly lowered her dagger, then slid it back into its sheath. "Who are you?"

"Names aren't important, Arya Stark," he stepped closer to her and she stepped back. She felt a wave of fear crash into her. She wanted to run home, bar the door, and hide until morning. Niah hissed quite a few times at the newcomer. Arya found this as a sign to not trust the man in front of her.

Arya reached for her dagger, but she was too slow. The man brought his hand up in front of him and Arya felt a tug at her waist, then saw her dagger floating in front of her. She stared at it for a moment, then it turned in mid-air and jabbed into her right shoulder. She cried out as it struck into her skin. Her knees hit the ground hard and she clutched at the dagger, but it was too painful to move it. The man was coming at her, a dagger of his own appearing in his hand. Arya cried out as he closed the distance between them, about to bring the dagger down on her.

Blood splattered across the rocks beside her, the man's head rolling down and falling into the stream. It got carried away with the water. Arya turned her face to see his body being dragged away from her by a man and dropped onto the rocks. She couldn't make out who had dragged the body away from her, but when he spoke she felt safe again.

"A drunk girl is not careful," Jaqen's voice was as cold as stone. He walked over to her and knelt down, inspecting where the dagger had driven into her shoulder. "The wound is not that deep. It will heal. A man knows." He pulled the dagger from her shoulder in one swift movement. She expected it to hurt, but it only stung slightly. Blood soaked the front of her shirt now.

"I need-" Arya clenched her teeth as she stood, dismissing the pain in her knees and shoulder. "I need to bandage it. I have supplies. Help me get home."

Jaqen pulled her close to him and helped her walk home. Niah followed behind quietly.

"What about the body?" Arya whispered as they entered the house. Jaqen helped her sit down in a chair.

"A man will dispose of the magic man's body," Jaqen said, his voice still cold. "A man must help a girl first."

"No," Arya pushed him away when he tried to inspect the wound again. He raised his eyebrows at her. "You take care of the body right now. I can do this myself."

She could tell by the look in Jaqen's eyes that he didn't want to leave her alone in her current state, but she pointed to the door. He reluctantly walked out of the house. Arya rose from her chair and opened a cabinet. She grabbed a couple strips of long white fabric and a bottle of the clear liquid that she would put in her special drink, setting it on the counter. She pulled her shirt down so that she could see the wound. It was bad, she knew, but it would heal as Jaqen had said.

She removed her blood-stained shirt and dropped it on the floor. The clear liquid burned as she poured it onto the wound. She dabbed it dry with a cloth and noticed that the bleeding had slowed considerably. The long strips of fabric were hard to wrap around her shoulder. She tried several times to wrap it until finally she kicked her chair out of frustration.

The door creaked and she looked over to see Jaqen walk in. She suddenly remembered that her shirt was gone and went to cover her chest, but pain seared through her right arm. She turned away from him and looked down at the wound. Her movements had made it start to bleed more. She closed her eyes and sighed. "I need help."

"A man knows," Jaqen let out a low, rumbling laugh. He picked up a strip of the fabric. "A girl will need to face a man."

Arya rolled her eyes, turning to face him. _Now is not the time to be embarrassed_, she thought to herself. Jaqen looked into her eyes, then looked at the wound. He carefully laid the strip of fabric across the wound, then wrapped it around behind her, tying it to itself, then doing the same with three more strips until the wound was completely covered.

"How does that feel?" He asked, inspecting his handiwork. "A man has bandaged many a wound."

Arya moved her arm and found that it didn't hurt, which made her smile. "It feels better," she said, then she remembered that she was angry with Jaqen. She turned and grabbed a clean shirt from a basket and pulled it on. Turning, she frowned at Jaqen, who was now smiling. She hit his chest with the back of her hand. "You shouldn't have left."

"A man regrets doing so," His smile was gone now, and he looked like he was hating himself. "A man did what he thought was best."

Arya narrowed her eyes at him, then relaxed her face. She took a breath, gathering her thoughts. She wanted to tell him how she felt, so she decided to get it over with and say everything. "Jaqen," she started, taking his hand into her own. "Years ago I felt lost after you left, and yesterday when you found me again, I felt happy. When we held hands, when we danced, I was happy. When we kissed, I was happy. Jaqen, I'm happy when I'm around you." She was no longer a drunk girl, she was a sober woman, telling a man her feelings.

Jaqen waited a long time to say anything, which made Arya nervous. _What if he doesn't feel the same?_ she wondered. Each second that passed made her more anxious.

"A man is happy when he is near a girl," Jaqen finally spoke. His voice was softer now. He squeezed her hand slightly, a smile coming to his face again. "A man is sorry for leaving a girl and wants to know what he can do to show a girl that he is sorry."

Arya smiled now, reaching up and touching the side of his face. "Kiss me," she whispered.

Jaqen put his arms around her back and pulling her close to him, then he kissed her. He tasted of citrus and mint. Arya felt the electricity between them as she kissed him back. He broke the kiss not a moment later, which made her frustrated at the lack of physical contact.

"A man cannot stay the night," Jaqen whispered, pushing a strand of hair out of her face.

"Why not?" Arya stepped back slightly, catching her breath from the kiss. She wanted him to stay, to be with her.

"A man doesn't want to rush things," he said, looking down at her. "A girl is eager, a man knows."

Arya knew what he meant by that, so she stepped closer to him, running her hands up his strong arms. "When, then?"

"When a girl is sure she is ready," Jaqen spoke carefully, eyeing her now.

"I am ready," Arya blurted, her want for him rising to new heights.

"Has a girl been with any man?" Jaqen asked, eyebrows raised.

Arya bit her lip and looked down. "No," she said slowly. Jaqen put his hand under her chin and lifted her head so that he could look at her.

"Then a girl is not absolutely sure she is ready," he placed a soft kiss on her lips, then stepped back. "A man will go home, a girl will sleep and heal."

"You're coming back tomorrow," Arya demanded, already feeling alone again.

"A man will come back tomorrow," he echoed, opening the door. "Goodnight."

Arya shivered as he left. The cool air swept into the room. Now she realized how alone she was in her little house. As if on cue, Niah jumped up onto the table and nudged at Arya's arm with her head.

"At least I've got you for the night," She said, picking up the cat and cradling her in her arms. The sound of purring filled the room as Arya went to her bed. She covered herself and drifted to sleep, Niah curling up at her side.

She dreamt of magic and death, and then Jaqen filled her dreams. His smile, his laugh, his touch.


	3. A Fine Wine

Arya woke up early the next morning to the sound if Niah knocking things over in the kitchen. Her head throbbed like mad. She had never drank so much to make her feel this way. Hopping out of bed, Arya clutched the sides of her head with her hands, hoping it would help relieve the ache. Sadly, it hadn't helped.

It took a few hours for her hangover to wear off, and she was her full self again. A letter had been given to her by a member of the Faceless Men only a few hours earlier. Her eyes now scanned the paper. There were three names. Arya looked at each one carefully, picturing their faces; faces of the men she would be assassinating on this very day.

The first man was very hairy, Arya noticed as she looked down from where she perched in a window within the alleyways. The man was carrying a bag that looked to be very heavy and uncomfortable against his back. Arya pulled a hollowed bamboo stick from her pocket, putting it to her lips and blowing. The poisoned dart landed in back of the man's neck, exactly where she had aimed. He fell with a small "thump" to the ground, dead in an instant, no time to shout for help or even let a moan of pain seep past his lips.

Glancing around for any on-comers, then seeing none, Arya hopped out of the window and onto the cobbled alleyway path with, sound being made as she landed on her bare feet. She always went with bare feet when she was on the job. _Light and quiet as a cat_, she thought to herself, smiling. She pulled the poison dart from the man's neck then pulled the bag from his lifeless hands, inspecting what was inside. Loaves of bread, one or two cheese wheels, and a bottle of one of the finest-colored wines Arya had ever seen. She closed the bag and hid it next to a barrel where no one would bother with it.

Once the man's body was taken care of, Arya killed the other two from her list. She was upset when she found nothing of value on them, so she quickly took care of the bodies, anxious to get back to her hidden treasure of food and fine wine. When she found her way back to the barrel the bag was gone. She turned around in circles, wondering if she had the right alley. She did, of course. Arya Stark knew the streets, alleys, even the hidden paths of Braavos. Someone had stolen her prize and this made her angry. Teeth clenched in anger, she turned and made her way to the main square. No one there had the bag, so she searched on. The tavern was bare, as was the brothel and the market. Arya gave up searching. She could always find another way of getting a fine wine into her hands.

The stream was warm, so she decided to clean herself. She went from a dusty color to her normal peachy skin. She never realized how she could get so dirty just by killing a man. She dried quickly with her shirt for the second time in the last few days, then dressed herself. Her shirt was not as wet as it had been the previous time, so she didn't feel too exposed.

The sun was in the western sky when Arya returned home. She saw that her door was ajar slightly, so she drew her dagger from the sheath and pushed open the creaky door. Niah walked out as if nothing had even happened. A mouse must have caught her eye, because she darted across the path. Arya walked into the house, dagger in front of her. Further in she went, only to hear the door close behind her, which made her spin around, eyes wide.

"A girl would be dead or dying if I were a different man, one likely seeking vengeance for a friends death," apparently he felt comfortable coming into her house when she was not there.

"I would not," Arya argued, sheathing her dagger. "Those men were on my list. No one saw me." Just then she noticed the bag in Jaqen's hand. She narrowed her eyes at him and crossed her arms around her front. "Ah, but I presume that _you_ saw me."

Jaqen laughed, setting the bag on the table and standing closer to her. "A man sees everything, a girl has not learned how."

Arya hit his arm with her hand playfully, which made him smile. "I will learn," Arya was determined to learn anything that would be for her benefit. "If you teach me." She stepped away from him when he didn't say anything. She inspected the bag's contents. The bread and cheese where still there, but the wine was missing. "Where is it?" She looked over at Jaqen, frowning.

"A man has seen what wine does to a girl," Jaqen eyed her, a smile still on his lips. "It makes you unable to process what is right and what is wrong. A man has witnessed such things."

"I was able to process everything that night," Arya said, then looked down. "Well, minus the fact that I got stabbed with my own dagger by a warlock, but that means nothing." Remembering what had happened, Arya instinctively reached to touch her shoulder. The pain had gone, but slight numbness replaced it. She didn't like the way it felt.

Jaqen looked at her shoulder, then reached beside a cabinet to grab the bottle of fine wine. _How had I not seen that?_ Arya wondered, but shrugged it off as Jaqen sat the wine on the table and stepped close to her again. "Does the bandage need changed?" Jaqen asked as he looked at the bandage which covered the knife wound.

"I'm sure it does," Arya half-cared right now. Jaqen's closeness made her feel happy, yet it made her feel something else that she had never felt before. He stepped away from her for only a moment to grab the strips of fabric and the clear liquid from the cabinet. Arya pulled her loose-hanging shirt down over her shoulder so that he could redo the bandage. He was fairly quick doing so, his hands moving expertly as he tied the strips. Once he finished Arya pulled her shirt back over her shoulder. "I thought you would have shown up a bit earlier," she admitted as silence took over the room.

Jaqen put away the supplies and turned back to her. "A man was busy with his work."

"Yet you had time to watch me, take my rightful prize, and hide in my home?" Arya almost laughed as she said this, knowing full well he spent the day watching her.

"A girl is smart," Jaqen let out a low laugh and shrugged his shoulders. "A man was only busy watching the beautiful girl work."

Arya blushed at this. "Your flattery is distracting," she admitted, coming closer to him this time. "How will I do my work when all I can think of is how you make me smile? I would make a mistake, hit the wrong spot on a man I must kill and send him screaming and running with my dagger in his belly. I would be found out."

"A girl has an honest point," Jaqen said, tracing her lower arm lightly with his fingertips. "Maybe a man will just have to stop flattering a girl and leave so she does not become distracted."

Arya hated how he played with his words, yet she loved it. The hairs on her arm prickled at his touch. "I don't think so," Arya said, grabbing his hands in hers. "The only way I will ever get anything done is if my needs are satisfied."

Jaqen grinned, then pulled her close, resting a hand on her lower back. "A girl is determined," he said quietly, leaning down and kissing along her jaw to her chin, then pressed his lips firmly to hers. She returned his kiss, her body relaxing against his.

They went at this for a while, kissing and nibbling at each other, but only that. Arya wished for more, but only knew that Jaqen would tell her that she wasn't ready, as he had before. Yet, maybe she really wasn't ready. The kissing was enough for her in that moment. Intimate, yet not overly intimate.

Arya convinced Jaqen to stay the night, promising him that nothing more than kissing would happen. They had fallen asleep next to each other, hand in hand. The last thing that Arya had remembered was waking up to see a pair of tiny reflective eyes looking up at her from the end of the bed, then the sound of purring, which made her fall back into her sleeping state.


	4. A Night to Remember

Over the next few days Arya and Jaqen never left each other's side. They worked together, ate together, and when the day was done they would go back to Arya's little house and fall asleep in each other's arms. They talked about many things during the time they spent together, which made Arya very happy. Jaqen hadn't been much for talking, but Arya was sure that he enjoyed talking to her. He had shared some of his deepest secrets with her. She was glad that he trusted her as she trusted him.

The stars were out, as was the half-moon, when they had finished their work. They had stopped by the bakery to get fresh bread for their dinner, and Arya cooked the rest of the food that evening. A meal of bread, fresh carrots and baked fish filled their stomachs well. Niah hopped onto the table to lick the juice from the fish from their plates.

"What shall we do now?" Arya asked, smiling across the table at Jaqen. As of recently she had been trying to convince him that she was ready for him, that she would always be ready for him. He had put it off quite a lot, but lately she saw something in his eyes. Her persistence was making him want her, she knew.

"A man has decided to take his lady on a walk with him in the moonlight," Jaqen stood from the table and held his hand out for her to take. She put her hand in his and stood up. She loved the way his hand felt in hers, the warmth he provided her.

"Then perhaps after our walk we could do something that I want to do?" Arya asked as they walked outside into the cool evening air.

"A girl has needs, as does a man," Jaqen said as they walked. He kept his eyes forward. "Over the last week much affection has been shown between the two of us. If a is sure girl that she is ready, then a man is as well."

"I am," Arya said quickly. She couldn't believe he was agreeing now. "I want to be with you in all ways possible, Jaqen H'ghar."

Jaqen continued to walk hand-in-hand with her until they came to the stream. The moon shone on the water, rippling and beautiful. "A girl has said," Jaqen turned to face her, putting his hand around her and rested it on her lower back. He stared down into her eyes, then pulled her into a soft kiss. When he pulled back he was smiling. "A man is madly in love, and he sees that a girl is as well."

Arya grinned, snaking her arms around his back and pulled him very close. She had never felt safer. She thought back on her young self back in Winterfell, a child running and playing with her brothers, annoying her sister, her long talks with her half-brother Jon. She felt safe with them, but with Jaqen it was a whole new level of safeness. They stood by the water for a while until a cool breeze blew across the open water and against Arya's skin. She shivered and took Jaqen's hand.

"It's getting a bit cold," she said, looking up at him. He smiled down at her and turned, walking back towards her house.

"Then let us go get warm," he said.

They reached the house and Arya was excited. Niah came to the door and Arya put her outside, closing the door. She just wanted Jaqen and no disturbances. She pulled Jaqen by the hand toward her room. They had made a bigger featherbed for the both of them since Jaqen had been there every night. Once they were in the room Arya began to tug at Jaqen's shirt, which he quickly removed, a smirk playing on his lips. Arya put her hands on his toned stomach, snaking them upwards and around his neck. He leaned into her and kissed her as he had earlier, this time with a little more force. She felt his hands moving expertly around her waist, then felt her shirt being lifted. She let him remove it, and she felt her face turn hot as he looked at her full breasts. He pulled her waist towards him so that their bodies pressed against each other.

Being skin-to-skin with him made Arya's stomach flutter with excitement. She moved her hands along his smooth back, kissing his chest softly. He turned her around so that her back was facing him and brought his hands around to her front. He traced little patterns with his fingers along her flat stomach, slowly moving his hands up until he cupped her breasts in them. Arya let out a little moan as he squeezed them softly, teasing her nipples until they hardened. He reached up and moved her hair and started to kiss her neck. Arya wondered how many times he had done this. He seemed to know exactly what to do to make her feel these amazing sensations. She felt his hands move down to her trousers, fumbling with the button. Arya grinned to herself, stepping away from him and removing them herself. She stood in nothing but her tight smallclothes. She turned to face Jaqen and brought her hands to his trousers, unbuttoning them. She brushed her hand against the hardness underneath of the clothing and heard him make a noise. _He wants me_, Arya thought to herself, smiling. Jaqen removed his pants and tossed them aside. They looked at each other for a moment, then Jaqen took Arya's hand in his.

"A girl is indeed a woman grown," He said, admiring her firm breasts, then looking into her eyes.

"Yes, I am," Arya ran her hands down his stomach and over his bulging smallclothes. "And I know what I want."

Jaqen put his hands around her waist and lifted her up onto the bed, then stood between her legs. He kissed her, then pushed her back onto the bed so that she was laying, then kissed down her neck, along her collarbone, down to her breasts. He took a nipple into his mouth and sucked it gently, swirling his tongue around. Arya arched her back, wanting him badly. He kissed down along her stomach, then slowly removed her smallclothes, tossing them to the floor. He massaged her inner thighs, then she felt his hand move to her middle. He rubbed his thumb against her pink nub ever so slightly and she arched her back again, this time letting a moan escape her lips. She felt him slide one of his fingers into her slippery entrance and begin to move it back and forth. While he did this he kissed along her inner thigh, moving closer and closer to her warmth. He flicked his tongue against her nub as he continued to move his finger inside of her. Arya could feel her insides tightening, building for a release. Just then Jaqen removed his finger and stood between her legs, grinning mischievously when he saw Arya give him a look of pure annoyance.

"Why did you stop?" She managed to say through her frustration. Jaqen smirked and removed his tightly fitting smallclothes. Arya bit her lip and smiled when she saw how hard he was for her, and big, too.

Arya sat up on her knees and kissed Jaqen, then pulled him onto the bed with her. She pushed him onto his back and took his length into her hand, beginning to rub it slowly. Jaqen let his head fall back onto the pillow, a groan slipping from his lips. Arya loved that she could make him feel like this. She rubbed him from base to tip, slow at first, then faster with each pump. When she stopped she heard him whimper only slightly, then look at her. Arya smirked and then leaned over his manhood, taking the tip into her mouth. She sucked it slowly, then took more of him into her mouth until she couldn't fit any more, then began to bob her head up and down, rubbing the base of him with her hand as she went. After a minute of this she felt Jaqen grab her arm and she stopped, looking at him questioningly.

"It is not easy to last long," Jaqen admitted, sitting up and running a hand down her leg. "A man wants to last until a girl is satisfied."

Arya understood. She smiled at him, then kissed him. "Make love to me," she whispered, laying on her back. Jaqen moved over top of her and she could feel his tip pressing against her entrance.

"Relax," he whispered in return, then kissed her lips softly, pressing himself at her entrance, then pushed himself inside of her with one quick motion. Arya winced slightly, but the pain was not unbearable. Jaqen didn't move, but kept kissing her. He kissed her neck, sending little jolts of pleasure to her center, making her forget the pain and focus on the pleasure. "Does it hurt?" He whispered again as he kissed her neck more.

"No," Arya didn't feel the pain anymore, but it was a little uncomfortable. "I'm fine."

Jaqen began to move slowly as to not cause any more pain. The uncomfort disappeared and a whole new feeling took over. Pleasure washed over her as he continued to move a little faster with each tiny thrust. She wrapped her legs around his waist and began to moan softly into his neck. He moved faster and pushed himself into her harder each time, making her dig her nails into his back. He stopped after a minute and pulled out of her, leaving her feeling empty. He pulled her up and then laid on his back. Arya crawled over him and positioned herself, then slid down onto his length. She took most of him inside of her, then began to move up and down. Jaqen reached up and cupped one of her breasts in his hand, teasing her nipple with his thumb and forefinger. Arya started to moan louder as she rode him. She felt him meeting her movements with his own, then she felt herself tightening around him. Jaqen quickly grabbed her waist and turned her over onto her back, not letting himself slip out of her, then began to thrust harder and faster into her. His thumb moved to her pink nub and rubbed it until Arya began to shudder. She felt a giant wave of pleasure wash over her as her fluids coated Jaqen's length and she screamed his name. He pumped into her a few more times, then pulled out and groaned, spilling his warm seed onto her belly.

Arya reached across the bed and picked a cloth up from the side table, wiping her stomach, then tossing it onto the floor. She turned over onto her side and faced Jaqen, who was smiling at her. Arya grinned at him, scooting closer, then kissed him. She pulled the covers over them and snuggled up close to him.

"I love you," Arya whispered against his warm chest, closing her eyes.

"And a man will always love a girl," Jaqen whispered back, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close to him.

"Always?" Arya could feel herself drifting off into sleep.

"Always and more, my love," was the last thing she heard Jaqen say that night.


End file.
